


High above

by varevare (varebanos)



Category: DCU (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Catlad, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-19
Updated: 2014-07-19
Packaged: 2018-02-09 13:58:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1985517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/varebanos/pseuds/varevare
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everything was going like usual, except that there was a new cat running on Gotham's rooftops and he was proving himself to be too much of a distraction. Because as Damian should have known, puberty hits hard when you're around leather clad thieves.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Oops sorry for not posting this before ;; Catlad AU!! big plans for this one. The world needs more Damian crushing on Catlad!Tim tbh.

The city looked different from the roofs. It was the one thought that stood out as Tim landed on the firescape, encased in leather and going over and over through this plan.  
  
It’d be his first big heist solo, after years of helping Selina out, and the thrill was almost too strong to concentrate. It wasn’t that they needed the money, but he had been working alongside her practically since she took him in -six years now- and he knew he was ready. And he ever wanted to be able to stand on his own, it was about time, anyways.  
  
Gotham was beautiful at night. Not beautiful like the postcards might show, full of colors and sound, but up there where it was striped to its bare bones, black steel rising to the skies with golden light spilling through the cracks that were the main streets, it felt like Tim was inside its heart.  
  
Tim looked up at the sky and allowed himself a small, private smile. There were no clouds that night, the perfect blackness swallowing the city’s brightness whole, and it’d take a moment longer for the GCPD to call that bat, a minute too much to pursue each criminals, a perfectly dilated reaction time to make Tim’s relatively low key heist go under the radar.  
  
The distant hum of the city seemed to get muffled the moment Tim slipped his googles on. It might not actually affect his hearing, but the rush he felt whenever he turned into Catlad made blind and deaf to anything that wasn’t his objective -and that night it was a big one. The bank wasn’t one of their usual objectives. Both Catwoman and himself agreed that it was better to steal directly at the house of a mob boss or corrupt politician than there, where everybody had their money, independiently of how much of a good person they were. However, the saphires necklace they had been after for the past month had just been moved there… and despite everything, the bank made an easy heist. The fact that they rarely if ever stole from there meant the security against a robbery was top nocht -it was still Gotham- but they had almost no measures regarding other more refinated crimes. To call them something.  
  
The bank finally appeared under his feet, a beautiful classical design that still managed to look nothing short of gothic inside the city. It always seemed rather unpractical to Tim, but he wasn’t the architect. A clean swing, ten seconds with a picklock on the third story window, and he was inside. The office inside looked completely ordinary -luxurious, yes, but nothing you couldn’t find anywhere on Earth. It wasn’t a place for a leather-encased burglar, and it made Tim’s hair bristle up in that way that made him wonder if he wasn’t spending too much time with the cats.  
  
Getting out of there took him a bit longer than anticipated, because even if they didn’t even bother locking the office doors -and there were way too many doors in there- they had obviously spent a good percentage of their budget in cameras. He was itching to break some locks when he finally got to the basement. Regretfully, he walked past the biggest vaults. Despite how impressive they were, they wouldn’t be much of a challenge, and there wasn’t a lot worth taking. He went there to retrieve one single item: the saphires necklace that disappeared from the murder scene of an ambassador and a friend of a neighbor of someone’s cousin had seen arrive to the bank that same morning. Items such as these, they were placed in a special area with extra security and no paperwork whatsoever. There were no traces of the necklace arriving, and there would be no traces of it going out.  
  
Or so was the plan.  
  
Tim had been training and studying for years just to do this. He still remembered the first day he tried to use a lockpick, and what a disaster it was, but it seemed from a lifetime ago. That wasn’t the same person that now stood up in front of a panel, breaking code after code. Fortunately, if you asked Tim himself. He wouldn’t have gotten anywhere as he was.  
  
Saphires weren’t neither his nor Selina’s favorite stone, and the necklace, despite its value, could easily be considered tacky. However, as his hands closed around it, Tim thought it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. After turning around for a minute or two, he put it on and started introducing codes back on the panel. To make a smooth departure, he had to spend almost as much time as he had used going in. The trip back seemed much easier, though, his mind already high up on the clouds savoring his triumph, the weight around his neck a constant reminder. There were no acrobatics needed, no lasers or heat detectors that the bank had bought in the last two years, and as far as heists go, this could be considered a walk in the park. Gotham looked exactly the same when he arrived to the third floor, same window he had used to enter, the only difference the blue sparkles just at the edge of his line of vision that came from the necklace reflecting the streetlights.  
  
After landing back on the rooftop across the street, Tim finally allowed himself to smile brightly. He could be a good thief. He work on his own. Maybe the confidence he felt as Catlad could actually be part of him, maybe he could be someone able to be proud of himself.  
  
It was no wonder that he didn’t notice the figure half hidden in the shadows of a nearby, taller building.  
  
Suddenly, he was on his back, the breath knocked out of his lungs and the necklace no longer around his neck. The hold was effective. Tim shouldn’t feel as surprised, knowing as he did that Damian had trained at the League of Assassins, but that didn’t make him any more upset. With both his arms and legs pinned to the ground, even with all his flexibility he almost couldn’t move.  
  
"This is completely unnecessary, Damian."  
  
Damian Wayne: son of Batman, third Robin, and a generally pain in Tim’s ass ever since they first met. At least he wasn’t actively trying to kill Tim anymore.  
  
"You know perfectly well that stealing is a crime," Robin announced smugly. It sounded almost the same way as it did the first time they met. "And my name is Robin."  
  
"Damian," Tim repeated, smiling up at the younger boy. "Will you let me go if I say please?"  
  
Before Damian could think up a scathing reply, Tim pushed up harshly to throw him off. It was a move he had learned when he was younger, and smaller, and Selina was worried about him getting outpowered by anybody.  
  
In theory, if he executed it in the middle of a conversation it might give him enough leverage to loose whatever hold the other person had and counterattack. In theory, too, the other person was a barely trained henchman or security guard and not a well prepared assassin and the Batman’s son.  
  
As it was, Tim only succeeded on grinding their crotches together and noticing suddenly how much Damian had grown and how nicely he had filled out, effectively making a noticeable amount of blood rush downwards and distracting nobody but himself. However, the moan that broke through his lips managed to distract Damian long enough for Tim to free his hands and push him away. He stood up when he was a couple of metres away, with Damian sitting down between him and his prize, but if he had to be honest Tim had to admit he didn’t want it anymore. He just wanted to get away of the scenario of his first and most humilliating solo mission ever.  
  
"Thinking about it, the necklace will match your eyes better than mine," stupid stupid stupid, he didn’t need to know Tim had ever looked enough at his face to notice his eye color in the magazines, "so I will just take my leave."  
  
And with a single sentence, he had managed to make himself sound more pathetic than Penguin. Just great. At least it was pathetic enough to stop Damian from chasing him in his retreat. It didn’t cheer him up much when he arrived to the apartment, necklace-less and with one hard-on too many still torturing him through his suit.  
  
When he arrived to the apartment, nothing seemed to have changed. Most of the cats approached the window as he got in, meowing and asking for food. Like if Tim hadn’t just feed them before leaving. They were getting spoiled.  
  
Finaly cracking a smile, Tim removed his googles and approached the bundle of blankets where the three kittens they had just rescued the previous night slept. They looked comfortable and completely unaware of anything that had happened to Tim, just like the whole apartment -the whole city- remained unchanged.  
  
It took him a while to get out of the uniform. He liked the outfit, he really did. It was good for sneaking and blending in, and it made him resemble his tutor, which he actually liked.  
  
It also managed to hide the bulge that had started to appear during the embarrasing incident with Robin, so that was a plus.  
  
But it wasn’t, and would never be, comfortable to take off.  
  
One of the kittens woke up and peeked from over its siblings’ head to look at Tim struggling to take it all off without even brushing his crotch, or thinking about anything related to it.  
  
"What are you looking at?" Tim grumbled at the kitten. Even to his own ears, it sounded more like a whine, and the kitten just gave him a small meow and went back to sleep.  
  
Great. Even the kittens would talk back to him now.  
  
Of course, it was right at that moment that Selina had to arrive.  
  
Tim didn’t have enough time to even fake being asleep, standing as he was with his suit pooled around his hips and no necklace whatsoever to show.  
  
"Kitten! How did it go?" Selina asked him immediately, with a bright smile that disappeared the moment she saw Tim’s expression. "What happened? Did you run into trouble?"  
  
"Selina…" Tim started explaining, but before he could say a second word he was engulfed in a Channel scented hug. It was a smell he had learned to associate with words like home and safety. That, and the smell of cat’s bellies. It was practically enough to make tears prickle in his eyes, and he knew that five years ago he would have been full out crying.  
  
"Don’t worry, Tim, my first attempts didn’t go well either." Selina pet the back of his head with an elegant hand. "You aren’t hurt everywhere, are you? The only thing that matters is that you’re home safe and sound."  
  
"I’m sorry," Tim mumbled, relaxing slowly into the hug. "I got the necklace and got out, but then I-"  
  
"Was it a bat?"  
  
"It was Robin." Even to Tim’s own ears, it sounded like a whine. "I can’t believe he caught me off guard!"  
  
"Well, the Waynes can be rather distracting," Selina replied, the smile clear in his voice.  
  
"That’s gross, mom."  
  
Chuckling, Selina released Tim from her hug.  
  
"I’m sorry, kitten. But don’t worry about it, it was just bad luck. They have better things to do that chase a couple of burglars." Her smile softened a bit. "And they’re good at their job, despite everything. Let’s talk about it tomorrow, alright? I’ll feed the kittens, now go to sleep."  
  
Tim sighed softly, looking down at the cats that had piled around them when Selina arrived. There were at least seven, not counting the couple peeking from the window.  
  
"Alright. Goodnight, Selina."  
  
"Sleep well, kitten. Tomorrow will be another day."


	2. Late nights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Damian needs help with a problem, but his family is full of assholes.

It had been three hours since his encounter with Catlad -stupid name for a stupid man- and Damian still couldn’t take it off his head. He would have gone back to the cave right away, but of course he couldn’t, because unlike certain criminals he had a duty to the city.  
  
And his duty meant not wondering why had Catlad given up his robbery. The weight of the necklace on his belt kept reminding him. It was beautiful, and valuable, and in Catlad’s opinion it matched Damian’s eyes. Of course, he was a flirt, just like his tutor, and he probably just said that to disorient him. For all Damian knew, the necklace was all a distraction and he was carrying something much more valuable. He should have pursued him, but the thought didn’t occur to him until half an hour had passed.  
  
Regardless, there were two more important questions -and if his father knew Damian thought them more important than a robbery they’d have words: why did Catlad know that the sapphires matched his eyes?  
  
And what did the rush he felt when Catlad grinded against him mean?  
  
As a matter of fact, the whole existence of the second question would be enought for him to get grounded, even if it’d be hypocritical of his father.   
  
Hell, Damian wanted to ground himself for it. Bleach his brain, crack his skull open and cut the memories away, become able to somehow ignore the fact that his cock still stirred when he remembered and his skin prickled with the urge to find the thief and get him to do that again.  
  
Even if he was just being a flirt and everybody would laugh at him.  
  
In fact, Damian was so sure they’d laugh that he was running out of options to ask about his current conflict. Grayson was both too far away and too embarrasing to ask advice from, Gordon wouldn’t say anything helpful besides that he needed to improve the mask’s lenses, and the rest… they were pretty much out of the question to start with.  
  
Without even realizing, he found himself on the firescape of Todd’s lastest safehouse.  
  
At least he wouldn’t tell father.  
  
"Get outta here, brat," were the warm words that welcomed him upon his arrival.  
  
Damian looked derisively around the room. Despite being clean -cleaner than Grayson’s, and than father’s whenever Pennyworth took a day off- it was obviously cheap, and tacky. And the tracksuit Todd was wearing, sprawled as he was on the sofa, didn’t help matters.  
  
"You couldn’t kick me out even if you tried," Damian snapped at the man, gesturing at the cast around the other’s leg. An accident, Todd had said when he appeared on the cave one night. A stupid mistake, had Damian guessed. He didn’t speak out at the time, though. Pennyworth always looked happy whenever Todd dropped by, which had been happening more often in the last years.  
  
"Fine, whatever," Todd replied, rolling his eyes. "But start thinking about getting your own place already. I can’t have you here using up my beer whenever your bike runs out of gas."  
  
"I’m not 21 yet."  
  
"Like that ever stopped anybody."   
  
"I’m serious, Todd. I came over for something more important that your low quality choice in beverages." Damian walked up to the coffee table, wondering whether to sit on the awkwardly angled armchair or next to Todd in the sofa. There was enough space, but the hair ruffling was maddening every time.  
  
"Well, what is it? I don’t have all night."  
  
"You do," Damian laughed, and finally sat down next to Jason’s cast.  
  
The by now almost forgotten necklace tinkled on the pouch, and of course it attracted Todd’s attention. At least it stopped the hair ruffling.  
  
"What is that? Does Bruce think the yellow isn’t bad enough, that now robins have to wear bells to be more noticeable?"  
  
"Don’t be ridiculous, Todd. I’m better at stealth that you’ll ever be, with all your greys and browns," Damian snapped, crossing his arms and immediately getting defensive over the question. Maybe going there hadn’t been such a great idea.  
  
"That doesn’t answer my question."  
  
"I design my own costume anyways."  
  
"Come on, brat. Are you hiding something daddy wouldn’t be proud of? Big brother Jay will understand."  
  
Todd’s smirk was absolutely irritating. The fact that he dropped the pictures he had in his hand just to ruffle Damian’s hair, now, only made matters worse, and if it wasn’t for the cast Damian would have challenged him to a fight already.  
  
"I’m not hiding anything!"  
  
Immediately, he took out the necklace and dangled it in front of Jason’s face. The way his smile didn’t even waver only worsened his mood, though.  
  
"You’re here, so you don’t want Bruce to know. You’re angry, but the only blood on you is on your cheeks."  
  
"I’m not blushing," Damian interrupted.  
  
"You so are," Jason continued smoothly. "Let me guess. Confused about developing feelings for your pseudo stepmother?"  
  
"She’s not my stepmother!" Damian snarled, batting Jason’s hand away. "I despise her."  
  
"That’s ridiculous, she’s great!" Jason sat up, peeking at Damian’s face with a frown. "Plus, I thought you liked cats."  
  
"I hate seeing her occupy my mother’s rightful place."  
  
"Selina has no obligation towards your mother. In any case, your father has."  
  
"Well, but still-"  
  
"That doesn’t matter." Jason waved a hand near Damian’s face. "Is it her?"  
  
"It’s not her. And I’m not developing any feelings, I just happened to have an encounter with her… partner." At Jason’s puzzled face, he added: "Catlad."  
  
Jason made a nonconcommital noise, his eyes flickering back and forth between the necklace and Damian himself, and in his nervousness Damian managed to question yet again if it had been a wise idea to go there.  
  
"I thought you despised him too."  
  
"I do."  
  
"I’m pretty sure you didn’t come here just to talk about how you stopped a robbery by Catwoman’s apprentice." At Damian’s silence, he continued. "Well, anyways that’s something you have to figure out by yourself. Your feelings, I mean."  
  
"I don’t have any."  
  
"If that lets you sleep at night." Jason shrugged. "So, what do you say you came here for?"  
  
Because of course Todd had to be an asshole and point out that Damian looked possitively bizarre in full vigilante garb, sitting on a sofa with a necklace in his hand.  
  
"Nothing. Just came to check if you had died yet so I can take care of your cats."  
  
"They’re not my cats." Jason yawned, apparently uninterested in both Damian and his papers now. Without even stopping to glance at him, he reached out to turn on the tv.  
  
"I know you feed them."  
  
"They’d meow at me to death otherwise."  
  
"Sure would."  
  
After that, they fell into an unsteady silence, broken only by Jason flipping through the pages of some file or the other, and a bar fight breaking out in the street below. Damian was almost tempted to go out to break it, seeing as after their short, aborted talk about Catlad he had as much of a idea about what had he gone there for as Jason did. However, the voices died out right before he could stand up.  
  
It seemed like the years of experience had given Todd an advantage to stand awkward silences. Damian was usually fine with them, as well, but self doubt was something he had a much harder time dealing with.  
  
"Who is that?" he finally asked, pointing at one of Jason’s files spread on the coffee table, for the lack of anything more interesting.  
  
Todd glanced vaguely at him, and Damian could see the reflection of a smile in the corners of his face, the same kind of half mocking, half indulgent expression he saw on Grayson’s face often. It was one of the reasons he had started to think of the other man as his brother, too, his father’s opinion of him aside.  
  
"Just your typical off the mill mob boss who thinks he can make it big in Gotham," Jason replied off handedly, looking down at the files in his hand again. "I looked into him for a while, but he’s just in the black market for luxury items. You know, cars, jewelry, art…"  
  
Damian didn’t notice Jason had stopped talking, having already taken the file in his hands. He didn’t notice the way his smirk grew, either.  
  
"Victor Matrosk? How come I never heard from him before?"  
  
"He’s been operating in Europe until now, and he’s always been pretty low key." Jason sat up slightly and peeked into Damian’s face. "You know, I’m not going to do anything about him. I don’t care if some rich guy wakes up with his jewels missing. Take the file if you want to."  
  
"Why would you give me anything for free?" Damian gave him a suspicious glance.  
  
"I’m hurt. What if I’m just trying to be a nice big brother?" At Damian’s expression, he cracked up. "I’m glad to see your pug face stays the same over the years. Let’s just say you’ll owe me a favor, alright?"  
  
"I guess that sounds reasonable." Pocketing the file somewhere Jason didn’t see, Damian finally stood and stepped towards the window. "I’ll see you around, Todd."  
  
"Of course."  
  
He left in the same silence he had arrived. A second later he popped in the window again.  
  
"And I don’t look like a pug!"  
  
Jason’s laughter followed him on his way back.  
  
-  
  
An hour after his encounter with Damian, Jason was getting ready to sleep. He was certain that by that hour, every nightly marauder was already at home.  
  
Jason himself still had something to do, though.  
  
"Hey, kitty," he greeted immediately when someone at the other end picked up the phone.  
  
"Jason," the voice replied, and from the tiredness and slight annoyance Jason knew he had the right cat on the other side. "What do you want? Still having problems with the cats?"  
  
"Not at all, they’re behaving just fine. Actually, I wanted to thank you for your help."  
  
"I’m listening."  
  
"Have you ever heard of Victor Matrosk?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So glad I managed to finish this for Tim's birthday and before my trip! Now that I finished Law School I should manage to update more often, big plans for this uwu


End file.
